1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and method for reducing stuttering. In particular, the present invention relates to electronic devices and methods employing altered audio feedback to minimize stuttering.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Background noise continues to be an annoying problem for people wearing hearing devices that incorporate altered audio feedback to minimize stuttering. Typically, people who benefit from altered audio feedback have normal hearing sensitivity. As a result, this special population suffers background noise annoyance to a greater extent than people that use hearing aids as a treatment for hearing loss.
Presently, there are some anti-stuttering devices that reduce background noise. For example, Casa Futura Technologies of 720 31st Street, Boulder Colo., makes use of various methods to minimize the impact of background noise. Their primary approach appears to be the use of noise canceling directional microphones that pick up a user's voice while somewhat rejecting background noise. Casa Futura also incorporates high-frequency filters to attenuate background noise above the user's normal vocal range. They also use hearing aid like expansion techniques to amplify the user's voice while making the background quieter. Moreover, Casa Futura uses a voice activated switch to turn on voice amplification when the user speaks and off when the user stops speaking.
Beyond background noise reduction, most manufactures of anti-stuttering technology also employ frequency-altered feedback (FAF) to enhance the fluency of people who stutter. Presently, most manufacturers shift the entire frequency range of audibility in order to produce FAF effects on the user. The frequency of audibility used by most manufacturers is between 20 to 6000 Hz. Some others use a reduced range from between 60 to 3500 Hz. In either case, the entire frequency range is shifted either up or down to be used as feedback to the user. However, shifting the entire audibility frequency range tends to mangle the fundamental frequency of speech, thus producing noticeable voice distortion to the user. As a result, voice distortion is a main complaint among users.
While all the above approaches are somewhat effective, they tend to be less than ideal. What is needed is a frequency-altered feedback technology that significantly reduces noticeable voice distortion within the components of speech used as feedback to the user. Moreover, there is a need for an anti-stuttering device having unique noise attenuation functions that can significantly increase how long a stuttering patient can tolerate wearing his or her anti-stuttering device.